Sexual & Reproductive Health

Lighthouse engaged a student studying a Master in Public Health to survey young people at the Haven in relation to the sexual and reproductive health services and education opportunities in Shepparton. The project intended to improve access to quality sexual and reproductive health information, education and services for adolescents who visit The Haven. In doing so, it set out to improve the capacity of youth workers at The Haven to provide appropriate Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) support and referrals for adolescents by scoping and mapping these services in the Shepparton region. By increasing SRH knowledge, we hope to model positive attitudes regarding sexual health, with the ultimate objective to see a change in sexual risk-taking behaviour and reduce the impact of poor SRH outcomes on the adolescent population in Shepparton.

The placement outcomes included

• A SRH resource and service directory for the adolescents and youth workers at The Haven and for GSLP to publish or use as desired available in the resources section of our website.
• Increasing the capacity of youth workers to provide appropriate sexual and reproductive health information to adolescents in their care.
• Improving the sexual and reproductive health literacy of adolescents who visit The Haven.
• Overcoming barriers to STI testing.
• Overcoming barriers to condom use.
• Identification of gaps in SRH services, education and public health policy in the Greater Shepparton Region.